Compound to be used in the manufacture of gas.



WILLIAM 'r. soLoMoN, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TQ PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

' ployed to become rapidly'clogged and likeintense light, and which are equally adapted of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and 'fact that the vapor derived from alcohol cooled or When subjected to slight pressure.

.hohc vapors to any considerable distance and enables me to produce a fluid com ound Tan srArEs rATnNr orrcn.

ROBERT C. HALL, OF-

COMPOUND TO BE USED IN- 'rrm MANUFACTURE 01 GAS.

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. SoLOMON,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a cer+ tain new and useful Compound to ,be Usedin the Manufacture of Gas, of which'thefollow-r in isa clear, full, and exact description.

lwy invention relates to the manufacture of gas from, the alcohols, of permanent constitution and of. high calorific intensity and illuminatingv power, suitable for heating, for lightin or for thegeneration of power.

Alco ol has long beenknown as a fluid containing a large amount of energy in con centrated form, but the utilization of this energy in combustion has heretofore presented a great many difficulties owing-to the when heated, or evaporated under ordinary conditlons, lseaslly condensed again when This causes the conducting passages of any combustion apparatus which may be emw1s e prevents the transmission of the alcofrom the generating station. Pure alcoholalso under ordinary conditions burns when ignited with an almost colorless flame, which renders it or its vapors unpractical for use as an illuminant.- I

My invention avoids all-these difficulties which when brought in contact with a cohol, or alcoholic vapor, generates 'a mixture of permanent gases, rich in hydrocarbons, which burn with the production of a brilliant,

to the production of a high heat or the generation of power in gas engines.

I will now describe my invention so that others skilled in the art to which it apper-. tains may employ the same,

In a suitable vessel I will mix onequart of alcohol with about 'two ounces of concen:

trated sulfuric acid, the acid and alcohol being slowly mixed with each other and thoroughly agitated during the mixing operation. I This is attended by a considerable elevation of temperature and the formation of sulfethylic acid, H CH SO and some Specification of LettersPatent. Applisa'tionflledJanuary so, 1907. Serial No. 35am.

Patented April 21, 1908.

' f by the excess of alcohol. In a separate vessel I mix eight ounces of benzene with two ounces of nitric acid, likewise IIllXlIl them slowly and agitating thoroughly during the mixing. This'operation is attended by the formation of nitrobenzol, O H NO and dinitro-benzene. These compounds are insoluble in water but are readily soluble in the excess of alcohol to which they may be added in the manufacture of gas.

After the sulfuric acid and alcohol and the nitric acid and benzene have been mixed in separate vessels as above described and the reaction completed, I pour thecontents of these two separate vessels together into a suitable receptacle, which is preferably of glass, again agitating during the. mixing. This third-mixture results ina reaction between the compounds formed during the first'two mixtures, whereby a portion-of the nitrobenzol and free benzene unites with a portion ofthe sulfethylic acid to form hen-- zene sulfonic acid, C H SO H, and phenol,

C H O. There is also some free sulfuric and,

free nitric acid present, which together, act as powerful oxidizing agents and convert other portions of the excess alcohol and benzene mto other portions of nitrous ether, C H NO, aldehyde, O I-I 0, etc. If, when so mixed, there should be a thick or opa ue stratum at the top of the mixture, it cioates that there is too much free acid present, and an excess of undissolved nitrobenzol, phenol, etc. and I add more alcohol to the mixture until the opaque stratum disappears and a clear homo eneous solution results. other and, oily globules are floating on the top of the mixture, it indicates that the acid is too weak and the oxidizing action uncom pleted and I add more nitric acid until the oily globules disa pear. The com ound so formed may be bottled and emp oyed as hereinafter described in the manufacture of. gases from alcohol.

tion, it is intended to refer to any oft e lower alcohols of the general formula C H O. The members of this series most commonly known are methyl or wood alcohol and ethyl or grain alcohol. I may use one or both of these mixed or the denatured alcohol of commerce.

Bythetermalcohol,asusedinthiss ecificathe equation,

Sulfethyhcacxd Benzene itrobenzol Alcohol N0 H 80 3(C H SO H) 2(C H O) Nitric Sulfuric Benzene suiionlc Phenol acid acid acid 4 o 1 No.)+2c n.o+4n,o; Nitrous ether Aldehyde Water In the manufacture of as from these compounds, alcohol or alcoholic vapor is brought in contact with the compound and by causing air to pass through or over the alcohol and, compound, the resultant gas may be collected and used or stored for use. I may proceed in many ways which differ from each other in minor details. In one of the methods of the manufacture of gas, as it has been practiced by me, I take ten gallons of alcool and mix with it about one quart of the compound made from alcohol, sulfuric acid,

, benzene and nitric acid, as hereinbefore described. I place this mixture in a suitable apparatus, such as an ordinary carbureter an force air through the mlxture 1n the carbureter. The gas which is formed in thisoperation is collected, and, after being passed pound in the second vessel.

through quick-lime orother suitable drying agent, to remove the moisture, it is conducter to a suitable gas reservoir.

Another method of using this compound in the manufacture of gas, which is s ecificall y.

claimed in a separate application, erial No. 354,914, may be employed. alcohol alone in thecarburetcr, and the compound formed of alcohol, benzene, and. acids, which, for brevity, I will call the conversion compound, in a second closed rece )taele. Air 1s forced through the alcohol in t 1e carbureter as before and the mixture of air and alcoholic vapors which result, are then forced into or through the conversion com- In this passage the alcoholic vapor is converted into a permanent gas of the same general nature as that formed where the alcohol and conversion compound are mixed in the carbureting vessel. This gas is then dried and conducted to a storage reservoir as before described.

The gas produced by the use of the conversion compound retains manyof the desirable characteristics of alcoholic vapor and possesses man valuable properties in addition thereto. ne of the most important of these new qualities is that the gas does not condense even at hi h pressure and ordinary low temperatures. t can, therefore, be stored In it I place the for any length of time and conducted to any desired distance without any danger of deterioration or of the clogging of the reservoirs,

pipes, or burners. Again, when burned in a suitable burner, it produces an intensely white and brilliant light, far superior to the ordinary gas or electric incandescent light. It has a high calorific value and may be used with great advantage for fuel. Owing to its great expansive force it is better adapted for use as a motive power than is the gas or vapor produced from gasolene.

In the use of my invention, I may, as hereinbefore stated, employ any of the alcohols of commerce, or a mixture of two or more of them. I do not desire to limit my invention to the use of benzene. The benzene in certain cases may be omitted, the nitric acid alone being mixed with the sulfethylic acid.

Many other changes may suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic 1n adapting my invention to the various uses to which gas may be applied.

Although the only use known to me to which my compound may be put is the manufacture of gas, the manufacture of which is a part of the invention described in this specification, I do not desire to limit myself to any one manner of use in such manufacture.

What I claim is:

-1. As a new article of manufacture to be used in the manufacture of gas, a com osition composed of sulfethylic acid, nitro enzol, and allied ether and nitro compounds, substantially as specified.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a composition composed of sulfethylic acid, nitroenzol, and allied ether and nitro compounds, dissolved in alcohol and ada ted to e employed in the manufacture o a gas therefrom.

3. In the manufacture of gas from alcohol, subjecting the alcohol to the action of-a composition formed from alcohol, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and benzene.

4. In the manufacture of gas from alcohol, subjecting the alcohol to the action of a composition formed from alc hol, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM T. SOLOMON.

Witnesses:

JAMES K. BAKEWELL, CARRIE E. EGGERS. 

